1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a gutter and downspout system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a gutter and downspout system for retractably mounting to a structure and facilitating clean out and prevention of breakage due to ice dam buildup.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for pivotable gutter systems have been provided in the prior, art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,309,792 to Faye teaches a hinged bracket assembly for use in mounting a drain trough beneath the eaves of a building and enabling the trough to be inverted to facilitate the cleaning and servicing thereof. The assembly is of sturdy construction comprised of two major components, each of which can be economically fabricated by cutting operations applied to an extruded structure.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,657 to Faye teaches a hinged support bracket for a drain trough having a harness member which nests above a bracket member. Both harness and bracket members are joined by a hinge mechanism at their forward extremities, thereby permitting the harness member, containing the drain trough, to be forwardly rotated at least 180 degrees of circular arc, causing inversion of the trough and the discharge of any debris contained therein.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,965 to Jackson teaches a gutter bracket assembly that includes a fascia bracket and a gutter bracket for rotating a gutter to effect cleaning debris therefrom. The fascia bracket including a rear panel adapted to be affixed vertically to a fascia board, a bottom panel extending from the rear panel, and a receiving portion located at an end of the bottom panel remote from the rear panel and including a first pivot member. The gutter bracket includes a frame member having a second pivot member. There is also provided a mechanism for attaching the first pivot member to the second pivot member for permitting rotation of the gutter bracket about the receiving portion of the fascia bracket so that the gutter bracket may be rotated between a first, rain-gathering position and a second, inverted position for emptying water and/or debris from the gutter. The gutter bracket includes a mechanism for securing the gutter to the frame member solely by a snap-fit of a portion of the frame about a portion of the gutter.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,460 to Smith Jr. teaches a hinged hanger system for pivotably attaching a rain gutter to the fascia of a building beneath the edge of a roof comprising a plurality of hinged hangers for mounting and supporting the rain gutter in a tiltable position, the hangers consisting of an xe2x80x9cLxe2x80x9d shaped bracket and a hinge section nestled within horizontal supports and pivotably hinged to the horizontal supports, and a pulley system with lines attached to the rain gutter for tilting the gutter to a dumping position and resetting the gutter to a receiving position.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,239 to Leahy teaches a gutter tilt actuator for a rain gutter system for a house, building, structure, etc., which facilitates cleaning of a gutter, and more particularly to a gutter tilt actuator, which is utilized to rotate the gutter from a water collecting position to a cleaning position and from a cleaning position to a water collecting position.
It is apparent that numerous innovationsfor pivotable gutter systems have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
ACCORDINGLY, AN OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a gutter and downspout system for retractably mounting to a structure and facilitating clean out and prevention of breakage due to ice dam buildup that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art.
ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a gutter and downspout system for retractably mounting to a structure and facilitating clean out and prevention of breakage due to ice dam buildup that is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
STILL ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a gutter and downspout system for retractably mounting to a structure and facilitating clean out and prevention of breakage due to ice dam buildup that is simple to use.
BRIEFLY STATED, YET ANOTHER OBJECT of the present invention is to provide a gutter and downspout system for retractably mounting to a structure and facilitating clean out and prevention of breakage due to ice dam buildup. The system includes a gutter arrangement that retractably mounts to the structure and facilitates clean out and prevention of breakage due to ice dam buildup and a downspout arrangement that detachably mounts to the gutter arrangement and retractably mounts to the structure and facilitates clean out and prevention of breakage due to ice dam buildup. The gutter arrangement includes a bracket that retractably mounts to the structure and a gutter that detachably mounts to the bracket. The downspout arrangement includes a bracket that retractably mounts to the structure and a downspout that detachably mounts to the bracket. The bracket of each of the gutter arrangement and the downspout arrangement includes a stationary portion that is affixed to the structure and a movable portion that is pivotally mounted to the stationary portion thereof.
The novel features which are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiments when read and understood in connection with the accompanying drawing.